Thoughout all of your years of watching high school wrestling (whether that is 1 or 50) who are your favorites?  Don't be a homer and only pick guys from your school.  If you need to, make a second list for your school.  I'll start.

Jon Wiard (Frankfort High School) - you almost laughed when you saw the guy walk onto the mat; sometimes with his singlet hanging loosely off his body; definitely not the biggest 160 in the state in '88-'89; but was a master on the mat; unstoppable cradle.

Jacob Murton (Lawrence County) - almost perfect technically; one of the most even tempered wrestlers I have ever seen.

John Wolsiefer (Fern Creek) - intensity personified; my wife describes him as "The Machine"; we didn't see the same wrestler last season.

Harrison Courtney (Woodford County) - should have been the first 5-timer for KY

Without a doubt the best wrestler I have ever seen is Jacob Murton

Another very good wrestler that I had the pleasure of watching was Issac Knable but can we forget Scott Cooper of Larue Co. a

But the strongest wrestler I have ever seen Miguel Merritt of Hoptown he was a freak of nature not the most technical by any means but he was the strongest I have ever seen.

Favorites last 3 yrs:

Jairus Murton: awesome technique, Jairus doesn't get mentioned alot, but I thought he owned his weight classes. I can't remember anyone hitting a superman like Jairus did at the Woodford County Finals his senior year against Liska.  One of the most impressive moves I've seen in KY in 4 yrs, I haven't seen anyone in KY hit that move as well since. I also remember his lace to a pin in his senior year state championship, very impressive!

Jacob Murton: totally dominant never really challenged in KY.  Jordan Lewis kept it close, and I have great respect for him but never really threatened, that was the closest in three years in KY. Would love to have seen Jordan wrestle his Sr. year.

Derek Scott: I liked watching this guy, he never stopped moving. Always tried to be in the gym when his matches came up.

i would have to say harrison courtney but thats just because im only 15 and i havent had much time to watch older wrestlers

1. Jerod Trice from Hoptown 1988-89. Jerod was a 2 time state champ who I believe got seriously injured and unable to wrestle his junior and senior years. As a freshman, I saw him destroy the senior defending state champ. I believed he pinned through as a freshman in the state tournament. Jerod was a man among boys. 

2. Troy Cole from Conner 1980-85. Troy was a 4 time state finalist, 2 time state champ, and a 5 time placer. As an eighth grader, Troy became injured in the semi's and had to forfeit the state match to a kid he beat 8-3 earlier in the season. As a sophomore, in the state championship match, he beat his opponent 23-8, " giving" the kid 8 escapes. As a junior in the state championship match, he was beating his opponent by 18 points when the runner up simply forfeited the match and said I'm not wrestling Troy anymore. (before the tech rule). How many state championship matches have you seen by that kind of point spread?

3. My 2 favorite now are Travis Sullivan and John Wolseifer. Like him or not, Travis takes no prisoners and indiscriminatley destroys his opponents. Travis pinned his way through state as a freshman. Travis will be Kentucky's first and only 4 time "undefeated" state champion. This will not be accomplished again for 50-100 years! John Wolseifer is my favorite to watch now. He is not dirty, just hard nosed. He wrestles his opponents with prejudice! His takedowns are usually hard felt. He is cool and always in control.  He will a 3 time undefeated state champ.

Alright, since I wrestled in Indiana I will throw in some Indiana boys.

1.  Pat Cassidy (Bloomington North) -- He was a 3x state champ.  From the 1992-93 season to the 1994-95 season, he was 121-0!  That's pretty impressive and especially in Indiana.  He was built very similar to Travis Sullivan, but no disrespect to Travis because he is an excellent wrestler, he wouldn't have stood a chance against this guy.  He was just so technical.  He had a wide variety of takedowns.  He was a well rounded wrestler.  You couldn't say he was just good on his feet or just good on the mat, he was good no matter what scenario he was in.

2.  Leavell Brothers (Decatur Central) -- You could pick one and it wouldn't matter because they were all just so good.  Tim, James & John and they all were Indiana state champs.  They were always so clean and crisp with their moves.  They finished every move off.  These guys wrestled for pins, not just wins.  They were tenacious and it didn't matter who they were wrestling.  If a guy had 0 wins or 50 wins, they went for the pin.  Tim was a powerhouse.  He wrestled 189 and I swear I don't know how he made weight.  He looked like he would have trouble making 215.  James was the more technical of the group.  He could ankle pick just about any at any time he wanted in a match.  John was very technical, but was the scrappiest of the bunch.  He wanted to win at all cost and it showed.

I have only been around Kentucky wrestling for a year, but in that time my favorites would have to be:

1.  John Wolseifer (No surprise) and for the same reasons everyone else has already mentioned.  He is always calm and finishes his moves off hard.  When he takes you down, you feel it.  Heck, I feel it watching him and I'm not wrestling.  He never seems to panic.  Even against Scott Wheeler last year when he was down late in the match at state he never looked rattled.  He looked like the match had just started.

2.  Derek Nickel (Alright so I'm bias)  He is just a gamer.  He works so hard and this kid never gives up.  I just enjoy his tenacity and effort.

I have said this many times and IPEA kind of stole my thunder but. 

1.  Jarod Trice was the greatest wrestler I ever saw wrestle.  He was unstoppable.  Every move he tried he completed successfully. He wrestled either 138 or 145.  I thought that it was ironic that before he performed a move he would look at his coach, his coach would yell a move and he would do it.  I'm not sure if he couldn't think on his own or he was following orders.   IPEA--I thought maybe he transfered schools and was attending I think Valley and he refused to wrestle.  But he may have been critically injured (seemed to happen to a lot of Hop-town boys in the 80-90s)

2.  Troy Cole (I know I seem to be copying) He was the slickest wrestler I ever saw.  He never seemed nervous, performed moves and counters as slick as anyone I have seen.  I did not see his 8th or 9th grade years.  His finals match his senior year was a clash of the titans match against Person from Hopkinsville.

Honerable mention: Robbie Clarkston,  I saw him wrestle but barely remember it.  But I remember my dad saying watch this kid he may be the best you will ever see.  (I was only 12 at the time.)

Now by the decades:

90's 

Mike Migliachio,  I loved to watch this guy wrestle.  I loved seeing him defeat Ennels his senior year.

Curt Zinga,  No one came close to him his senior year, Ranger I believe he wrestled Wiard as a Jr in the finals

Roy Gibbs;  Great kid and great wrestler, plus I loved hearing his mom in the stands (C'mon Rooooyyy) :-D

Tendai Charasika;  You talk about a man among boys he was it.  Destroyed everyone with his power.

Miguell Marritt:  As stated another aw some beast.

Ian Horn;  May be #3 on my list.  I thought he was better than Joe Jr.

2000

Brad Cooper.  4 time finalist, awesome technique

Taylor Shearer;  maybe the best big guy double leg I have ever seen.

Jacob Murton;  Took me a while but he was slick.

Pat Banks;  This kid was awesome all his career, but something always seemed to happen to keep him from winning the title. (Could easily have been a 2Xer)

Danial Theunerman:  Loved to see this kid wrestle when he had his head in the match. 

Upcoming year::::::

Sullivan: I want him to destroy everyone and silence the nay sayers.

Peace:  I think he can be one of the best ever. (Not like in the finals last year)

Robbie Clarkston was Kentucky's first 5 time state finalist. He was Ky's 2nd 4 time state chammpion. Robbie was one of the wrestling gods in Ky in the late 70s and early 80s. He died a few years ago of a rare primary brain cancer. He was an Illinois high school wrestling coach and principal when he died. A large void remains in his absence!

Don Blevins (Fern Creek)- Arguably the best wrestler to come out of Fern Creek.  Transfered in his Junior year and went undefeated 2 years.  MOW his senior year at state.  He had his stuff together on and off the mat.  Last I heard he was a Navy Seal.

I have said this many times and IPEA kind of stole my thunder but. 

1.  Jarod Trice was the greatest wrestler I ever saw wrestle.  He was unstoppable.  Every move he tried he completed successfully. He wrestled either 138 or 145.  I thought that it was ironic that before he performed a move he would look at his coach, his coach would yell a move and he would do it.  I'm not sure if he couldn't think on his own or he was following orders.   IPEA--I thought maybe he transfered schools and was attending I think Valley and he refused to wrestle.  But he may have been critically injured (seemed to happen to a lot of Hop-town boys in the 80-90s)

Trice was seriously injured before his Junior year and transferred to Shawnee High School in Louisville to live with family there. His state titles were at 145 and 152. Jarod told me at that time, that although he was eligible and healthy enough he wouldn't wrestle for anyone but Coach Ploesser.

We wrestled a couple of Freestyle tournaments together in the spring of '91 in Martinsville,In. and Huntington, WV.

If you liked watching him in Folk, you would've loved watching him in Free.

My favorite wrestler of all time to watch was Mitch Rogers from seneca, not because I am from there, but because you never knew what would happen. His senior year he lost to some nobody's but also pinned the number one guy in the state twice. Not once in his entire senior year did he put somebody on their back without pinning them. He is one of the best pinners in kentuckys history. He was about to be teched 3 times at state his senior year and pinned all three of them and still made it to the semi's.

ISAAC KNABLE- for sure, he wasnt flashy he went out and got the job done. That is why he was a four-timer.

John Wolsfier- So much confidence its unreal.

Ian Horn (Woodford)- one of the best motors I have ever seen including both NCAA DI and DII, relentless

Brad Cooper (Simon Kenton)- just went out and got the job done, very business-like, awesome technique

Kyle Ruschell (Ryle)- very slick and a good scrambler, will be an AA this year

Jairus Murton (Lawrence)- dominated people, took them down and stuck them, real nice guy too

Currently my favorite wrestler to watch would have to be Coty Lewis, but only before he gets tired, after that it's pitiful.  Very slick and just blows through people.

Other than Woodford I would say Bryan Peace and John Wolsifer, although both of these guys did not impress me in their finals matches last year.  I still look for them to go undefeated in Kentucky this year and continue their success in college.

Speaking of favorite wrestlers to watch.  What are some people's favorite wrestlers to watch on the national scene, both past and present?

All time my favorites to watch have to be both Brands brothers and John Smith.  Just the way the Brands destroyed people, pushed them around and broke them mentally is awesome.  They weren't that good technically (compared to everyone else at their level), but the moves they did know they could hit on anyone.  After having watched Smith I am convinced that he is the best wrestler from the US ever.  He was AWESOME in every position.  He is credited with inventing the low single but doesn't get enough credit for his high crotch which I think was better.  Here are some matches that illustrate what I'm talking about.

Tom Brands vs. Kendall Cross

Kendall Cross ended up winning Nationals that year and obviously both won a gold medal at the 96 Olympics.

Terry Brands vs. Jeff Prescott

Prescott was the returning National Champ and won it again that year, at the weight class below Brands.

Tom Brands vs. Joe Gilbert

Gilbert wasn't a National Champ or anything but he was good.  The amazing thing about this match was Gilbert caught Brands early and nearly pinned him.  Brands had to come back from and early 5-0 deficit and still dominated him.

Terry Brands vs. Eric Guerrero

Guerrero was a three-time national champ for Oklahoma State and an Olympian in 2004.

John Smith vs. Sergei Belaglasov

Belaglasov is considered one of the best international wrestlers ever (2x Olympic gold, 6x World gold)  Smith played with him almost the entire match.

John Smith vs. Gary Bohay

I'm not sure how good Bohay was but he had to be decent as this was the Gold Medal Match at the 89 World Championships.

Currently my favorite college wrestler has to be Dustin Schlatter when he opens up and wrestles.  Almost impossible to score on and and able to scramble.  Too often this past year he got a lead and sat on it, ended up costing him in the semis of nationals (I also heard he was hurt).  My favorite international wrestler right now is between Donny Pritzlaff and Tommy Rowlands.  Pritzlaff always stays in good position and always wrestles with intensity.  Rowlands moves the best I have ever seen for a heavyweight.  Any heavyweights out there should study him and probably Cole Konrad and combine their styles.

how ofton does dustin schlatter open up though??? Even after his brother lost at nationals he stalled

Good picks grappler.  But I have to say Gibbs' mom had nothing on Mig's dad.  That big old guy would sit way up in the top corner of the stands and yell "GO MIG!!!" so loud.

I was coming up just after Trice.  The stories I heard of him were like some super hero.  Guys spoke about him like a legend just a year or so after his last match.  Man I wish we had some video of those state championships at Atherton.  A lot of great wrestlers went through that gym over the years.

I already done this once i know but I just thought of a couple of guy's from christian county in the mid 90's who maybe the fastest guy's I ever saw on a mat.

Grady Peterson could shoot from anywhere at anytime

Anthony Smith maybe the fastest guy I ever watched he would shoot from one side of the mat to the other and be there so fast and so deep almost impossible to stop his shot.

Robert kemper was an animal on the mat woodford co.

Wesley Gray caldwell co. was also fun to watch

in my opinion the funnest guy to watch still wrestling is Mitch Ervin in my opinion he owned Pat banks in the finals last year no dis respect to Pat he was good 

I'll be a homer on this one.  These are my favorite kids that I coached.

1.  Brandon Wilkens 2X  I still give him credit for pulling the team back together in 90 as an 8th grader for us to win the title.

2.  Kurt Zinga.  No one could stop him his senior year.  He looked like a coach wrestling the kids he coached.

3.  John Golsby.  I never quite new what I would get out of him.  I got to see the best he had against Ervin last year.

4.  Jim Newman (Hwt) still the only hwt I know who's best pinning combination was a cradle. (Had Davis beat in 90, should have been champ)

5.  Chris Hagen 2X,  was a great wrestler but more for his antics on the mat.  We never knew what he was going to do or say during a match, almost always gave up the 1st take down.  Yes I said gave up. In his senior year Kemper took him down in the semi's, Hagen looked over at us rolled his eyes, got an escape took Kemper down then looked over at us and smiled then let Kemper up and took him down again. (We told him it took him giving up a takedown before he was warmed up)

6.  I have to add this one to the list.  Lucius Jackson.  He only wrestled for me for one year but he was unbelievably strong.  He would fireman those 275 Hwt and pick them up over his head.  If you ever saw him do it you would know what I'm talking about.

I also liked watching some of the local boys when I wrestled. 

Strawn Nutter from Boone Co. (Great all around wrestler)

Troy and Tom Cole Conner      (loved Troy's ability and Tom's strength)

David Feuner Simon Kenton    (loved watching his technique)

Matt Shotwell Conner            (mostly because I thought he was the only leg rider better at it than me) :-D :evil:

Taylor Scherer, derek scott, kris perry, and ozzy parker

David Richey (Caldwell Co.) 3X State Champ was very fun to watch.  He beat Todd Adams (FC) in the finals in '84  :x and later that summer I saw him do a suplex on Todd in a freestyle tourney.  :-o One time while rolling around on the mats somebody shot a single leg and picked it up by the heel, Richey did a back flip to get away, and landed on his feet. :-o

Tony McDermott the last half of his senior year

Although he was not a state champ and only wrestled one year in Kentucky, Mike Hart of South Oldham. Not only fun to watch but, to watch his match preparation. His focus and intensity was unbelievable. His opponent would be stabding in the center of the mat waiting to shake hands and Mike would be running a circle around him clapping his hands. Like a shark with blood in the water.

He usually had a strength advantage. What he lacked in technique, he made up with intensity and the mental aspect of wrestling. He was good example of knowing only a few things and excuting them so well that there proved to be only one other wrestler in Kentucky who could stop him.

Last year I really enjoyed watching Tommy Warren (Fern Creek) and Elliot Martin (Seneca) wrestle because they were great wrestlers. Tommy had his own little style to him, he was kind of a scrappy wrestler. Elliot was just dominant, he would walk out on the mat and pull moves on people.

I also liked watching the 119 and 125 matches because they are 2 really tough weight classes. I think 125 will be an interesting class this year. I'm eager to see how they end up.

Travis Sullivan-Hes always been a quick lil booger and right to the pin...umm point i mean.

Coty Lewis-Who else can pull off the cocky hair popping out from every corner of the headgear,then taking it off having a perfect fro again. :mrgreen: He always looks cool. Coty Lewis is a pimp.

Taylor Shearer- The match vs the PJP2 kid was insane, and hes fun to watch.

Jacob Murton-Do I need to explain??

Joe Powers-Bobble around like a monkey,football tackle opponent,win state. LOL thats what the southern boys tell him anyway. :-D

Dan Trejo-Strong insane lil Booger.

Joaquin Luna-ummmm...BUTCHER!!